SAE International’s much-anticipated technical standard revision for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) has been approved and published, coinciding with the SAE’s Convergence conference in Detroit (16-17 October).
Developed by an SAE taskforce comprising more than 190 global experts representing automotive, charging equipment, utilities industries and national labs, the standard ‘J1772: SAE Electric Vehicle and Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Conductive Charge Couple‘ describes chargers which enable EV battery charging time to be reduced from as long as eight hours to as short as 20 minutes.
“This new technical standard is a real game-changer,” said Andrew Smart, Director of Industry Relations and Business Development for SAE International. “It reflects the advancements in technology within PHEV and EV engineering and we are pleased to represent the collaborative efforts within industry that made it possible.”
The SAE says its standard represents the future of charging technology and smart grid interaction, while addressing the needs of today, including reduced times at public charging stations and enabling consumers to travel greater distances in their PHEVs and EVs.
“This new standard reflects the many hours that top industry experts from around the world worked to achieve the best charging solution – a solution that helps vehicle electrification technology move forward,” said Gery Kissel, Engineering Specialist, Global Battery Systems, GM, and SAE J1772 Task Force Chairman, adding: “We now can offer users of this technology various charging options in one combined design.”
The original version of J1772 defined AC Level 1 and AC Level 2 charge levels and specified a conductive charge coupler and electrical interfaces for AC Level 1 and AC Level 2 charging. The new revision incorporates DC charging where DC Level 1 and DC Level 2 charge levels, charge coupler and electrical interfaces are defined. The standard was developed in cooperation with the European automotive experts who also adopted and endorsed a combo strategy in their approach.
Adherents of the CHAdeMO DC standard developed earlier – as of 4 October the number of CHAdeMO DC Quick chargers installed globally had reached 1,659 (Japan 1,344, Europe 229, other 86) – included Japanese EV pioneers, notably Nissan, and charger manufacturers in and beyond Japan, including ABB. The SAE standard was developed at the behest of OEMs in Germany and the US.
